Multibeam recording apparatus

Abstract

A multibeam recording apparatus comprises a scanner for scanning a recording medium with a plural number of beams, a beam detector for producing detection signals in response to the incident of every beam on the detector, a distributor for distributing the detection signals and a controller for controlling the start of recording with the beams individually by means of the distributed detection signals.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. A beam recording apparatus using a plural number of beams, said apparatus comprising: means for scanning a recording medium with said beams;   beam detection means for receiving said beams and producing detection signals in response to receipt of said beams;   a beam selection member, associated with said detection means, through which only one of said beams of said plural number of beams can pass at one time to be incident on said detection means;   means for distributing said detection signals; and   means for controlling the start of recording with said beams individually by means of said distributed detection signals.   
     
     
       2. A beam recording apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the direction in which said plural number of beams are arranged and the scan direction of said beams form an angle other than a right angle. 
     
     
       3. A beam recording apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said beam detection means is able to receive and detect said plural number of beams individually. 
     
     
       4. A beam recording apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means for storing data; modulating means for modulating said beams for recording in accordance with data read out from said storing means; and wherein said controlling means generates an instruction signal to start reading out the data from said storing means to said modulating means for modulating said beams. 
     
     
       5. A beam recording apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said distributing means comprises means for counting said detection signals and being operative to distribute said detection signals in accordance with the output form said counting means and said detection signals. 
     
     
       6. A beam recording apparatus using a plural number of beams, said apparatus comprising: means for scanning a recording medium with said beams;   a plural number of gates for individually controlling the respective outputs of said beams;   beam detection means for receiving said beams and producing detection signals, the output of said detection means being connected in parallel to said plural number of gates.   means for counting the number of times a beam is incident on a predetermined position and for generating an output indicative thereof; and   means for making said gates open in response to said detection signals and to the output from said counting means.   
     
     
       7. A beam recording apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the direction in which said plural number of beams are arranged and the scan direction form an angle other than a right angle. 
     
     
       8. A beam recording apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the output of said counting means is increased stepwise in accordance with the counting operation. 
     
     
       9. A beam recording apparatus using a plural number of beams, said apparatus comprising: means for scanning a recording medium with said beams at the same time;   means for counting the number of times a beam is incident on a predetermined position; and   means for detecting the state of said beams in accordance with on whether said counting means counts to a predetermined number of counts within a predetermined time.   
     
     
       10. A beam recording apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the direction in which said plural number of beams are arranged and the scan direction form an angle other than a right angle. 
     
     
       11. A beam recording apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said detecting means includes timer means which starts measuring the predetermined time when a first beam is incident on said predetermined position. 
     
     
       12. A beam recording apparatus using a plural number of beams, said apparatus comprising: means for scanning a recording medium with said beams;   means for receiving said beams and producing detection signals;   means connected to said receiving and producing means for sequentially generating control signals for controlling said beams individually in response to said detection signals; and   means for detecting the state of said beams in accordance with whether the number of said control signals generated by said generating and controlling means corresponds to the number of said plural beams.   
     
     
       13. A beam recording apparatus as set forth in claim 12, further comprising means for storing data; modulating means for modulating said beams for recording in accordance with data read out from said storing means; and wherein said control signals also constitute an instruction to read out data from said storing means to said modulating means for modulating said beams. 
     
     
       14. A beam recording apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said detecting means includes means for holding, during a predetermined time, the control signal first generated in one scanning period in response to the detection signal representing the first beam received by said receiving and producing means and wherein said detecting means detects said state by detecting coincidence of said control signal held by said holding means and the control signal generated in the one scanning period in response to the detection signal representing the last beam expected to be received by said receiving and producing means. 
     
     
       15. A beam recording apparatus using a plural number of beams, said apparatus comprising: means for scanning a recording medium with said beams;   means for counting the number of times a beam is incident on a predetermined position and for generating a predetermined signal in response to the value of the count, and   means for controlling the scanning with said beams individually in accordance with the output signal of said counting means.   
     
     
       16. A beam recording apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said counting means counts the number of times a beam is incident on the predetermined position during each scanning of said beams by said scanning means. 
     
     
       17. A beam recording apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said predetermined position is at a location through which said beams pass prior to scanning of the recording medium therewith. 
     
     
       18. A beam recording apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising means for detecting beam incidence located at said predetermined position.